The NXCAM HXR-NX5U is Sony’s first professional AVCHD camcorder (the special-purpose HXR-MC1 aside). It’s roughly comparable to the HVR-Z5U in features and functionality, but offers full-raster solid-state recording with higher visual quality than its HDV tape-based stablemate.
The NX5U lets you record to dual PRO Duo Memory Sticks, to an optional 128 GB Flash Memory Unit, or both at the same time, either simultaneously or separately. It can capture HD and SD at the same time. Its HDMI output connects with inexpensive third-party capture cards and portable recorders, and it also offers a fully professional SDI output with embedded audio and timecode. Its TC LINK port lets one NX5U jam its timecode to another’s, or to any SMPTE LTC source, making multicam shoots (and the subsequent editing thereof) more pleasant.
It records 1080i, 1080p, 720p, and 480i, so you’re able to handle SD and HD gigs with equal ease.
The NX5U’s CMOS imagers deliver a reasonable tradeoff between resolution, sensitivity, and noise, delivering beautiful images with only the occasional telltale artifact that they aren’t full-res sensors. Its controls over color, exposure, knee, gamma, and detail give you ample ability to change the look of the picture. Smooth Slow Record gives you 4x slo-mo capability, albeit in short bursts with sub-SD resolution.
The NX5U’s 20x G lens goes admirably wide and long, and it has low chromatic aberration. It shows a bit of distortion, but it’s not bad given the range of the zoom, and it’s less distressing at the wide end than the lenses on the EX1 and EX3.
The NX5U handles like any other pro-level handycam, with controls placed in the same positions you’ll find ‘em on other handycams; users of other Sony DV, DVCAM, and HDV camcorders will find the NX5U an easy camera to adapt to. It lacks a few things Sony users have become accustomed to, like an exposure histogram, Extended Clear Scan, and interval recording, but these aren’t showstoppers for most folks.
The NX5U has both built-in stereo mikes and a separate shotgun, as well as dual XLR inputs. The camera has all the analog audio flexibility you’d expect in a professional dual-channel camcorder.
So, fine, another nice Handycam from Sony… what’s really interesting is that it’s a full-up, no-excuses pro-level AVCHD camcorder, the first of the NXCAM line. Yes, Sony has other solid-state cameras like the EX1 and EX3, but this camera competes head-to-head with Sony’s own tape-based HVR-Z5U. At NXCAM’s highest quality recording—1920x1080, 24 Mbit/sec AVCHD (MPEG-4) with uncompressed PCM audio—the NX5U’s recorded clips clearly outclass the 1440x1080, 25 Mbit/sec HDV (MPEG-2) clips recorded by the HVR-Z5U.
Does this signal the end of HDV as a mainstream format? Quite possibly, even probably.
Panasonic never hopped on the HDV bandwagon, opting instead for AVCCAM (their own branding of professional AVCHD) and AVC-Intra (I-frame-only, 10 bit, 4:2:2 AVC at 50 and 100 Mbit/sec). Panasonic’s lineup has been tapeless for a couple of years now, though they still maintain backwards compatibility with DV, DVCPRO, DVCPRO50, and DVCPROHD recording on P2 cards.
JVC has followed their highly successful tape-based HD100- and HD200-series HDV camcorders with the full-raster, 35 Mbit/sec XDCAM EX-compatible HM-series cameras recording to SDHC cards. Those JVCs can still record 19 Mbit 720p and 25 Mbit 1080i/p HDV-compatible files to memory, though DV isn’t supported in the newer cameras.
Before we get carried away, remember that both Canon and Sony are still shipping tape-based HDV- and DV-format camcorders, and I don’t expect these units to be discontinued in the immediate future. Tape still has the advantage of cheapness: you can show up on a gig, shoot, and hand the tape to the client at the end of the day and walk away; you can shoot tape and then just put it on the shelf once it’s captured.
But memory cards are getting cheap enough that, if you need the instant-handoff or store-it-on-the-shelf workflow, it’s becoming tolerable to do so (yes, even with PRO Duo Memory Sticks). Cards are still pricey compared to DV or HDV tapes, but they’re cheap compared to Betacam or HDCAM tapes or XDCAM HD discs.
The 11+ hour capacity of the NXCAM Flash Memory Unit pretty much puts to rest the fear of shooting long-duration events on solid-state media. Even a pair of 16 GB cards will get you nearly three hours on the NX5U, shooting best quality video and uncompressed audio, and you can swap cards while recording (and 32 GB PRO Duo cards are available, too, though they’re rather spendy at present). Even documentary folks headed off to the deepest, darkest, most inaccessible parts of the world need not fear solid-state recording when a pocketful of cards will record tens or hundreds of hours of material—and cards, unlike tapes, are easily and safely reusable hundreds or thousands of times.
HDV has been a useful transitional format, making affordable HD recording widely available in the dawn of the high-definition era. But HDV images have always been a bit on the fragile side, too readily showing noticeable artifacts when heavily stressed. The compression used to squeeze HDV down to a tolerable data rate for low-cost tape transports shows its weaknesses especially when looking at still frames, doing slo-mo in post, or whenever trying to pull a clean key or extracting a stable point-based motion track; artifacts cleverly minimized in full-motion video become all too visible in these activities. I have frequently thought of HDV as the Hi8 of HD recording: a brave attempt to push a technology just a bit further than it was willing to go. Yes, it’s perfectly workable, but you have to be very cognizant of its limitations, and work within them.
High-bitrate AVCHD uses roughly the same data rate as HDV, yet it captures a noticeably higher quality image. It’s still not perfect, not by any means, but—along with 35 Mbit/sec XDCAM EX—it’s “better enough” that that many of the things that HDV falls down on work acceptably well with AVCHD.
The price, of course, is that it’s a much more computationally intensive codec to work with: you’ll need a fairly recent CPU to process and play it back at full frame rates, and some NLEs (like FCP) really want to transcode it to a more edit-friendly codec, even when the same NLEs work with HDV files natively.
HDV won’t fade away overnight. There are still plenty of HDV camcorders for sale, and there are a lot of folks happily using HDV workflows with computers that aren’t up to the task of decoding AVCHD. But I don’t expect the HDV universe to keep growing; AVCHD is gradually usurping its place as the standard format for low-cost HD acquisition. That Sony has introduced the NX5U alongside Sony’s own HDV camcorders only confirms this.
How about DV? It’s widespread, it’s quick and easy to edit on decade-old computers, and it lives on as the SD format on Panasonic’s P2 cameras. But when NXCAM drops DV for its SD recording in favor of MPEG-2, and when JVC’s HM-series machines drop SD recording altogether (as do Panasonic’s AVCCAMs), I think the writing is on the wall; DV’s reign as an SD acquisition format may be nearing its end. Fortunately, both Panasonic and Sony still provide DV/DVCAM/DVCPRO on their P2-series, HVR-series, and EX-series camcorders, so we still have options—but as the consumer formats increasingly dictate what we can get in the professional / industrial space, I can’t be as confident as I’d like about the long-term prospects.
As to tape? All vendors now have serious solid-state camcorders in their professional lineups (at least if you allow Canon’s video-capable DSLRs to count). With Sony’s announcement of solid-state storage for HDCAM SR, even the high end isn’t safe; Panasonic’s Varicams are entirely tapeless already and have been for a while.
Tape will likely remain as a studio-based format for program layoff, archiving, and distribution, at least for a while. Remember also that most of the video material shot in the past 50 years resides on tapes, so there will be a need for playback machines until all that material gets transferred to bit-based media.
But for acquisition? When Sony ships their solid-state SR recorder (SSSRR) in the next few years, I think we’ll finally be able to say that tape is dead.
Hey, I could be wrong. It’ll be fun to find out, eh?
Would I buy one? If I were in the market for a reasonably full-featured HD Handycam at the $5000 level, and I had the choice between the HDV-based HVR-Z5U and the AVCHD-based HXR-NX5U, there wouldn’t be any contest. Sure, the NX5U is missing a few things I frequently need, like ECS and a histogram, but the higher image quality afforded by FX-mode AVCHD, as well as the benefits of a tapeless workflow, makes it a no-brainer: I’d take the NX5U over the HVR-Z5U in a New York second. For a $5000 camcorder, it’s a winner.
However, I mourn the lack of DV/DVCAM recording, as well as the true 1920x1080 sensors, hypergammas, ECS, interval recording, and variable frame rates I’ve come to love on the EX-series camcorders; I’d probably try to dig up the extra money for a PMW-EX1R, assuming its HD-to-SD downconversion is as clean as that on the PMW-350. It’s at least $1500 more expensive than the HXR-NX5U ($2840 more by list prices!), and it’s a real beast to handle by comparison, but it makes fewer compromises in terms of absolute image quality. But if I didn’t have that kind of money, the NX5U would be top of my list.
Your decision may vary, of course. But that’s why I would buy one. Whether you would buy one is up to you!
Does it have touch-sensitive screen? If so, does it has spot focus feature? I missed this from the article. This can partially replace shot transition.
Is it possible to record SD to the same card as HD? Seems like it is not, Sony probably wanted to preserve clean AVCHD file structure on a card. What about HD to one card and SD to another (not to the FMU)? Or two copies of HD onto both cards?
“you could record an entire event to the FMU, and trigger the recording of selected shots to the memory slots”—Does it keep timecode in sync to match those shots on the cards with the long shot on the FMU?
Ditching DV in favor of DVD-video SD is a big mistake, IMHO. I wish you expressed your opinion on this subject more loudly, not just as an observer. I think that DVD-video @ 9 Mbit/s has no benefits over DV besides bitrate, and progressive modes are still recorded with pulldown. This is not a consumer camera after all, Sony has to add DV recording option, especially considering that Panasonic’s HMC150 does not have SD recording option at all. I hope Sony fixes this issue before releasing the final product. Sony already has implemented tapeless DV recording in numerous products (XDCAM and tapeless HDV recorders), so it would cost nothing to reuse this technology on the Prime.
After Sony has come up with two HDV tapeless recorders (both with different directory structure and with different media), switching to AVCHD seems backwards to me. I rather expected something like “tapeless HDV” (on Memory Sticks or on Compact Flash) or a lower-grade XDCAM EX @ 25 Mbit/s. I think that Sony’s format policy is not thought out well, it lacks clean strategy for upgrading from one format/camera to another. For a DV user, the Prime is not an upgrade as it does not handle DV. For an HDV user, it is no upgrade either, because of different media and codec. For an XDCAM EX user, it is a side step, with different media and codec, but the cards at least can be reused in the EX via an adapter.
By the way, I’ve seen some MicroSD-to-MSPro adapters, they seem to work in still cameras, but do not work in Sony’s consumer AVCHD cameras. Apparently, Sony somehow locked them out. I wonder do they work in the Prime, I suppose that they don’t. At least the Prime does not require new “secure” batteries, so one can use no-name knockoffs.
Posted by .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address) on 01/04 at 06:07 PM
Lang: yes, there’s a macro mode, which bring near focus down to under an inch for 80% of the zoom range (I’ve added that info to the article). Otherwise, near focus is 2.6 feet.
The iris appears to be six blades with a slight curvature, like most pro-level handycam lenses use.
Allan: I’ve added a mention of the HXR-MC1 to address your point. And yes, in English a camera is of unspecified gender. Sony has not told me whether the Prime is a brother, a sister, a cousin, a son, or a daughter, so I picked two relationships and left it at that… maybe when the part number of the camera is made public, its gender will be, too!
Burn-E: There is no touch-to-focus mode.
You can record SD, HD, and extracted stills to the same card; all have their own, separate directory trees, so they don’t interfere or collide.
I haven’t tried separate recording on two media, so I don’t know how timecode is handled. If I get a chance, I’ll try and let you know.
I agree that ditching DV is very unfortunate. If you want DV and HD, stay with the HDV/DV line from Sony or Canon, or get a Panasonic P2 camcorder.
As to HDV vs AVCHD, I was skeptical at first, but I’ve found that Canon, Panasonic, and Sony all can record AVCHD with considerably higher quality than HDV allows. 21/24 Mbit AVCHD is roughly equal to XDCAM EX HQ; I consider that a significant upgrade over HDV—at least if you have the CPU power to handle it.
Posted by Adam Wilt on 01/04 at 10:20 PM
“I consider that a significant upgrade over HDV—at least if you have the CPU power to handle it.”—Exactly. My first HD camera was AVCHD. The second one too. Then I sold one and bought the V1U. Yes, the quality may be worse, but HDV is so much easier to edit. I can edit HDV with live playback on my quad-core machine, while AVCHD overheats the CPU, bringing it almost to a halt. Considering that Sony already has the technology, I cannot understand why it does not offer DV, MPEG-2 HD and AVCHD in the same product letting the end user to make a choice.
Posted by .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address) on 01/04 at 11:11 PM
Great review. Can’t wait to get my hands on one! I’ll confess to being bummed about a few things, though.
For starters, it’s a bit of a bummer that the FMU must be removed to be emptied. I’m generally a bit annoyed by any equipment that must be removed/reattached frequently. That just implies wear and tear. The battery is bad enough.
It’s also a bit of a bummer that 1440x1080 cannot also be provided at 24Mbps, it being much closer to the native resolution of the sensor. When you’re bandwidth-constrained, why suck it up with a third more “fake” pixels? That really seems senseless. 1440 is well-supported; even Blu-ray Disc supports it (in AVC modes, which is fortunately what we have here).
Cheers,
Aaron
Posted by .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address) on 01/05 at 01:55 PM
Hi Adam, Thanks for this highly informative review.
I have a coupla questions:
1) I recall recently seeing somewhere that this cam outputs 10bit 4:2:2 video on the HDMI. Can you confirm that?
If so, I would naturally assume it also outputs same via SDI but maybe if it does it only does on the SDI.
2) The menue system: Sony seems to be all over the place on its menu nav system. Without referring back to your review of the forthcoming PMW-350, I believe it was you who said that Sony has implemented the menu system previously found only in their ‘real’ pro cams.
I’m not sure which of the newest cams Sony has released (EX1 or EX3) or the forthcoming NXCAM that they are positioning as a ‘suitable’ B-cam for use with the PMW-350.
If you talk to the most respected retailers in the industry they’ll readily suggest that the EX1/EX3s will be great B-cams. Maybe the NXCAM is an even better B-cam.
I think it’s a good question and I really hope to get to the definitive answer here and I understand that we need some realworld testing on the matter.
The lack of convergence on menu systems on these cams really makse me question how Sony can postion any cam as a B-cam to another.
Your review doesn’t mention it but I naturally assume that settings are transferrable between two or more NXCAMs via the memory cards, ala the EX1/EX3s.
More importantly we must be able to transfer settings between cams like the PMW-350 and the EX1/EX3s if such A-cam/B-cam compatibilty is realistic. We should at least have that much - even if the menu systems are different.
“Workflow, Workflow, Workflow!” is my mantra to the consulting clients I make presentations to and recommend camera purchases. It certainly is for me personally, as I think it must be for the other habitues of this site.
In my opinion Sony has no business hyping such positioning without addressing this issue (if indeed they are actually trying to do that to their dealers in the first place.) Are the masterminds at Sony in need of a dose of reality? Or is the retailers who are illegitimately hyping this aspect without the blessing of Sony?
Thanks again!
wsmith
Posted by wsmith on 01/05 at 02:58 PM
Nice review Adam Wilt!
This really describes a whole thing, as usual to other camcorders you reviewed too.
All is left is price, real on location production review, and a true NXCAM sample available for download, for personal judgements.
I wonder, what is the cheapest camcorder that has SDI outputs? Usually I found SDI-featured camcorder will be a bit higher price.
“but unlike the HVR-Z5’s ring, it can’t be set to control overall exposure.”
> Too bad this feature is removed, I hope they re-add this function again later on final product. In several run-and-gun situations, this feature is really helpful, where I don’t have to think too much for brightening the image.
Is there any Pre-record / Pre-roll mode available?
Will look forward for more info then…
Posted by Setiawan Kartawidjaja on 01/05 at 11:27 PM
I have been waiting to upgrade my FX1 and I am sure a camera in this family will be the one. I love my SR11 and XR500 and was waiting for a more capably unit from Sony with lots of the features of the XR500 and the FX1. This cam seems to have most but I too would like the spot focus feature, AE shift on a control, and don’t understand why Sony would not put the R sensor. I might just wait a little longer to see if this is going to be in one of the family as the difference between the SR11 and the XR500 is very significant.
Ron Evans
Posted by .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address) on 01/06 at 04:44 PM
@RonEvans: It’s not clear to me what Exmor R means to a three-sensor system where the pixels are so much larger than those in a consumer cam like the XR500. These consumer cams have 1/3” or smaller sensors with 6+ Megapixels. By contrast, in a three-sensor system like this cam, you’re talking about three 1/3” sensors with only just over 1 Megapixel. The pixels are enormous next to the consumer cam. Unless the electronics vary as a function of the physical pixel size, which I don’t believe is the case, then the degree to which they obstruct incoming light (what “R” was designed to avoid) is greatly reduced. In short, I’m guessing “R” probably wouldn’t make much of a difference in a system like this, or else they’d be using it in their pro cams. I don’t see a single pro cam using it, however, and that does say something.
Posted by .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address) on 01/06 at 07:25 PM
They are using it in their Pro cameras. The EX1R has just been announced and likely an EX3R to follow.
Ron Evans
Posted by .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address) on 01/06 at 07:36 PM
Setiawan Kartawidjaja: Prices have been announced (and the article edited to include ‘em): $4950 for the camcorder, $800 for the FMU.
This may be the lowest-cost HD-SDI camcorder around, based on list price. There’s also the Panasonic POV combo, the AG-HMR10/AG-HCK10G, which lists for $4400, but it is a POV camcorder and not a conventional handheld form factor.
There is no preroll / pre-record on the NX5U.
Posted by Adam Wilt on 01/06 at 07:43 PM
@RonEvans: Not to carry this on for too long, but according to what? Unlike the consumer cams, the EX1R doesn’t have “Exmor R” anywhere in the product literature (that I can find) or printed on the side of the camera. Also, consensus is that the “R” in “EX1R” is for “Revised” or “Redux” or something of that nature. That it stands for “Exmor R” would certainly be a new one!
Cheers,
Aaron
Posted by .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address) on 01/06 at 11:38 PM
Adam, I think there will be more good news.
I noticed on the SONY AX2000’s presentation page there are present some of the features you described as missing compared to Z5: Histogram, shot transition, marker.
It seems logical that all the functions will be present from the Z5 to the NX5U. I don’t see the point to remove the shot transition, color correction or Extended clear scan options.
So there is a strong possibility that we’ll see all the features present on the final product. Unfortunately NX5N page doesn’t show any details, neither an proper image of the camcorder, just the view from the right side. Probably there’s some details to be finished before the real launch of the product.
This is the AX2000 page: http://www.sonystyle.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/ProductDisplay?catalogId=10551&storeId=10151&langId;=-1&productId=8198552921666078180#features
Posted by .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address) on 01/07 at 03:20 AM
Thanks for the input Aaron. Typical Sony confusion!!! I stand corrected.
Ron Evans
Posted by .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address) on 01/07 at 08:30 AM
New 2010 consumer models can record to MemoryStick and to SDHC. The NX5 can record to MemoryStick and to SDHC. But the AX2000 can record to MemoryStick only. Huh? What they were smoking?
Posted by .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address) on 01/07 at 10:57 AM
Cristi Olariu and Burn-E: There’s a lot of stuff on the AX2000 product page that contradicts what Sony has told me directly. My guess is that both the feature sets and the marketing communications for both cameras are still evolving, even at this late date.
Remember, I had a prototype camera (and a prototype operating manual), so what actually ships may differ from what I reviewed.
If, in fact, ECS and a histogram display were to make their appearance in the shipping NX5U, I’d be very happy indeed. But we’ll just have to wait and see what actually gets delivered, both for the NX5 and for the AX2000.
Posted by Adam Wilt on 01/07 at 09:45 PM
Adam, I am sorry for posting the same question/remark twice. Thanks for the reply, I hope the information you have is correct.
Posted by .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address) on 01/07 at 10:24 PM
Burn-E: you asked:
“you could record an entire event to the FMU, and trigger the recording of selected shots to the memory slots”—Does it keep timecode in sync to match those shots on the cards with the long shot on the FMU?
The timecode is in sync. The camera has one timecode generator; if you’re in REC RUN mode, it runs as long as either destination is recording. So even in REC RUN mode, the two media’s timecodes will be in perfect sync, though the started and stopped medium’s clips will not have continuous timecode across multiple clips. Since the normal post workflow for the NX5 involves ingesting and transcoding the clips as data files, not as a video stream, timecode breaks between clips is not as big a deal as it is in a tape-based workflow.
Posted by Adam Wilt on 01/09 at 08:40 PM
Adam, phenomenally detailed review. Quite nearly wanted to make me upgrade from my CCD based FX1. Yes, I still use it. A few thoughts:
iLink / FireWire. Why is the issue limited to “the camera shoots no iLink compatible formats? It’s a faster data connection than USB 2.0. You can also run TCP/IP over FireWire, so you’d gain functionality like the broadcast gear that offers ethernet ports.
The section on the sensitivity rating, versus, gain, negative gain, and such was a bit confusing. The sensor seems as sensitive as the EX1, but at a different gain level?
Can the camcorder record the same file to two media cards at the same time, mine and the client’s? Or the SSD & a media card? This would be great for concurrent backup, and for freelancers.
Lack of Clearscan is baffling, especially in the Pro model.
It would be nice if the SD was indeed fully DVD-ready and DVD authoring apps could just load it in as “ready to burn” media. Has this been tested?
Lastly, Sony needs to step up the game and keep the histogram, or include Waveform displays because it is becoming rather commonplace in professional gear (camcorders, LCD monitors, etc) and a bit of a surprise that this “Prime” model lacks it.
Does recording PCM audio instead of AC3 dramatically limit the data rate for video, or is the video rate capped at a set figure regardless? Using AC3 could be like the advantage shooting 24p gives the video at 24 Mbs versus 30p or 60i, maximum data rate available to each frame.
All in all, it finally seems like AVCHD is living up to its potential, and, as each of the formats before it, will get better as processors and systems learn to maximize its capability. Of course, editing it means we’ll all have to buy new computers.
Posted by IEBA on 01/12 at 12:51 PM
Reading on the AX2000 on sonystyle.com: “In addition to 1080/60i recording, the HDR-AX2000 offers a 1080/24p and 1080/30p Progressive Scan mode that enables shooting with film-like results. Signals scanned at 24p/30p are converted to 60i (using 2-3 pulldown for 24p) and recorded on MemoryStick PRO Duo™ media.”—Adam, so you are saying that Sony’s website is wrong on MemoryStick and both NX5 and AX2000 can use SDHC. Maybe the site is also wrong on 24p-in-60i? New consumer Canons have native 24p, the smaller HMC40 has native 24p/30p, it would be really unfortunate if the AX2000 used 60i wrapper for progressive footage. Or maybe Sony is going to update Vegas to handle 24p-in-60i as true 24p, just like it handles footage from the V1U?
Posted by .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address) on 01/12 at 02:15 PM
IEBA: Using i.LINK as a non-isochronous transport (i.e, TCP/IP) is certainly possible, but it is rarely done in practice; I don’t see the non-geek contingent picking up on using FireWire for FTP any time soon. USB is considerably cheaper at the hardware level, and drivers are universally installed. I am pro-FireWire and anti-USB on general principles, and I dislike the trend to move away from 1394 towards the less-elegant USB, but I understand why Sony is going that way.
The sensor is rated at EX1 speeds, but I think that speed rating digital sensors is something of a free-for-all; you can base sensitivity on the clipping point (in which case the NX5 sensor may be a stop slower than the EX1), on the noise floor (however defined), or on some arbitrary point trading off speed against noise. My impression, given that the NX5 can be gained down to -6db with no loss of highlight headroom, is that it’s been rated a stop faster than it “normally” might be, to make it more competitive in the low-light arena. The larger photosites on the ClearVid diagonal sensor allow a lower noise floor than a true full-res sensor with smaller photosites, so this sort of gain-boosting can occur without as much noise increase.
The NX5 cannot record to two cards at the same time: only one card at a time simultaneously with the FMU.
I have not tested DVD compatibility of the raw files.
Recording PCM audio does not affect the video data rate, which stays the same: 21 Mbit/sec in highest quality mode. You just use up your storage a bit faster!
Burn-E: “Adam, so you are saying that Sony’s website is wrong on MemoryStick and both NX5 and AX2000 can use SDHC.”
Not exactly; the website says one thing, and my contacts at Sony say something else. I have no concrete proof of which one is actually correct. We’ll have to wait and see what the shipping cameras actually do before we can declare one source an unimpeachable purveyor of unparalleled veracity, and the other a scurrilous and untrustworthy prevaricator!
I don’t suspect any malign intent; rather, the official specs for the cameras were changing up to the last minute, and I simply think that one source isn’t as up-to-date as the other. Even in small companies, it can take quite a while to get everyone singing from the same sheet of music; in a giant company like Sony, where similar products are being released by two different divisions with different product management and marketing groups, I’m not the least bit surprised that there’s some disagreements about the features and functions of still-to-be-released cameras.
Posted by Adam Wilt on 01/18 at 01:16 AM
Adam,
As the new Sony NXCAM comes closely to Panasonic’s HMC150/151, which itself is in many ways similar to the HPX170, I was wondering if you could give some comparison thoughts between the two cameras as you have extensively reviewed them both.
I am not so much after the technical details and differences here but rather image quality. When I understood it correctly, both cameras are using image sensors, which are roughly half the size of 1920HD. Sony calls it ClearVid and Panasonic calls it Pixelshift in order to achieve the full HD resolution. So in theory both image results should be similar. From your image resolution charts it appears to me that the NXCAM has superior horizontal and vertical resolution. Is this because they have the better algorithm to “guestimate” the missing pixel?
Furthermore, it seems that the NXCAM records all frame rates as “native”. This sounds to me as a big plus over the Panasonic, which actually has only the 24P as native and all other formats are being converted from 60i (or 50i).
As I live in the UK, the 24p Panasonic camera is not available for me. So I would have to shoot in 25p to get a similar result. Whereas I do understand the theory of “pulldown”, I have actually no idea of the potential image degradation caused by this. In other words should the lack of the native recording mode for 25p in the Panasonic really bother me or is this more a theoretical discussion where differences can be seen only under lab conditions?
Your views and comments on this are greatly appreciated.
Many thanks
Posted by .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address) on 02/19 at 07:47 AM
olav, about the Panasonic camcorder: In UK I think it’s available the AG-HMC151E model which is PAL/NTSC switchable from the menu, and has all the framerates: 24p, 25p, 30p.
Posted by .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address) on 02/19 at 08:34 AM
Cristi, thanks for the info. That was initially as well my state of info and I did indeed have a brochure which stated exactly that what you mentioned. The latest brochure on http://www.panasonic-broadcast.com/en/products/high-definition/avccam/AG-HMC151E.php does not mention anything about other recording formats except 25p and 50i.
Posted by .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address) on 02/19 at 01:22 PM
The operating manual of the AG-HMC151E says it has PAL/NTSC framerates and gives more details on how to work with them.
Posted by .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address) on 02/19 at 04:07 PM
Cristi, thanks for clarifying this.
Posted by .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address) on 02/20 at 04:31 AM
olav: The NX5’s sensor has a somewhat higher resolution than the HPX170/HMC150 sensor, and the NX5’s images are quite a bit sharper. Sony’s diagonal photosite array and pixel interpolation does a better job of synthesizing “missing” samples than simple H & V pixel shift on a non-diagonal array, though it’s not perfect; I’d rate it better a bit better than half the difference between 960x540 with pixel shift, and true 1920x1080 sensors.
The NX5 may also be a bit lower in noise, but it’s hard for me to say without doing a side-by-side.
Aside from that, the “looks” of the cameras are different; it’s hard to characterize precisely, but in broadly subjective terms, Sonys have a punchier, more “Kodachrome” look, while Panasonics have a somewhat less saturated, more naturalistic look. Gammas differ as well; Panasonic ‘s Cine-like V gamma does an especially good job of handling highlights on skin tones, in my opinion.
Posted by Adam Wilt on 02/20 at 02:04 PM
Adam, thanks for the detailed info. Much appreciated.
Posted by .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address) on 02/22 at 02:13 PM
Adam, it is interesting that you regard the Panasonics as more naturalistic while the Sonys as more saturated. I thought that with default settings these cameras produce quite the opposite look: the Panasonics being more saturated and yellowish/reddish, while the Sonys being less saturated, more hard-contrast and with bluish “natural” look. Maybe I am off-base here.
Posted by .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address) on 02/23 at 11:22 AM
What’s naturalistic and what’s not is, of course, a subjective judgement! I agree on the contrast and the blue vs red bias; I guess I saw the saturation more in the blues & greens, and you see it more in the reds, and thus we differ in our feelings of which cameras are more saturated overall.
But that’s what makes it fun, eh?
Posted by Adam Wilt on 02/23 at 02:17 PM
I love technology. Six months after I bought my PD170, Sony released the first of the HDV camcorders. Last July I traded my venerable five year old PD170 for a Z5U rather than repair the headphone jack, feeling it was to switch to HDV. And now the NXCAM. I love technology. I just can’t afford to keep up. As always, excellent review.
Posted by Gerry Fraiberg on 02/23 at 04:16 PM
Hi Adam (and everyone!)
I’m just wondering if you would have any recommendations as to which camera would be best for TV production?
I realise, after reading this page, that the NXCAM is probably the most superior. But which cam has the best value in terms of quality of visuals?
Any advice would be much appreciated!
Posted by Xandria on 03/02 at 05:36 AM
Adam:
Im new to solid state cameras and considering buying one soon. My concern regarding this Sony HXR-NX5U 1/3” 3-CMOS AVCHD Camcorder is the following: If I was to use this camera with the 128GB Recorder, how will the workflow with my nle editing system be? I use a MacBookPro, OSX 10.4.11, 3GB RAM, 1TB Hard Drive, editing in Final Cut Pro 6.0.1
Will the transfer of files be possible? If yes, how fast or slow? Or will I have upgrade anything?
I appreciate your comments, thank you.
Posted by .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address) on 03/03 at 06:36 PM
“wondering if you would have any recommendations as to which camera would be best for TV production?”
I’d suggest the Panasonic AG-HPX3700, Sony SRW-9000, or perhaps the F23 or F35 depending on your shooting style. Or even 35mm film; it’s a bit old-school and expensive, but the pix sure look sweet (grin).
Once you start coming down below the $65,000 price point, though, it’s a question of tradeoffs, and I can’t make those tradeoffs for you. You have to look at your budget, your needs, and the look you’re going for, and make up your own mind.
“If I was to use this camera with the 128GB Recorder, how will the workflow with my nle editing system be?”
IF (and that’s a big IF) FCP 6.0.1 is able to interpret the NX5’s AVCHD, then the workflow is simple: power down the camera, detach FMU, plug FMU into MacBook Pro with a USB cable. FMU mounts on Desktop as a removable drive and appears as a clip source in Log & Transfer. Use the usual Log & Transfer workflow to ingest and transcode clips, and edit normally.
However, 6.0.1 may not work with NXCAM; I don’t know (I did my testing on FCP 7.). You may need to update to 6.0.3, or even to Final Cut Studio 3 / FCP 7.
Posted by Adam Wilt on 03/03 at 07:03 PM
Thanks Adam, I really appreciate it!
Posted by Xandria on 03/04 at 06:04 AM
“If I was to use this camera with the 128GB Recorder, how will the workflow with my nle editing system be?”—AFAIK, FCP needs complete AVCHD file tree to open the files. It will not open bare MTS files. With 128GB of data this is a challenge. You may want to transfer long video segments first with Sony utility, merging MTS files that belong to one video fragment. Then you would use something like MultiAVCHD to create AVCHD structure for those MTS files you are interested in. Alas, MultiAVCHD does not work on Mac.
Posted by .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address) on 03/04 at 11:05 AM
Thank you Adam and Burn-E for your comments,
Adam, in your article you state that “Pop the FMU off the camera, and plug it in to a Mac or PC via its mini-USB 2.0 port, and it mounts as a USB-powered drive, ready for use in the NLE of your choice.” But Im I understanding then that NXCAM and AVCHD files are not then for every NLE system. Therefore, Sony is not making this camera accessible for “use in the NLE of your choice”.
Posted by .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address) on 03/04 at 12:24 PM
Burn-E, Why is 128 GB related to a difficulty of opening bare MTS files? Maybe I’m missing your concern here, can you rephrase it?
jose, NXCAM and AVCHD are for “the NLE of your choice” as much as all the AVCHD video and still cameras already on the market are. It is a standard codec. It is up to the software makers to incorporate this functionality, just as it was for HDV. Which NLE are you concerned about?
Posted by IEBA on 03/04 at 12:31 PM
Hi IEBA,
Maybe I was missing a point but Im clear now I think. Im working on FCP 6.0.1
I just checked Apple´s page and they say that on the Log and Transfer Window you can transcode the AVCHD clips with a few restrictions that maybe I can work around. If you have any comments that will be of great help. Thank you,
Posted by .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address) on 03/04 at 12:43 PM
“Burn-E, Why is 128 GB related to a difficulty of opening bare MTS files? Maybe I’m missing your concern here, can you rephrase it?”—FCP needs the whole AVCHD file structure to open MTS files, it does not accept bare MTS files. If you work right off the 128GB module then fine. But if you want to clean the module then what? You have to copy all your data onto a computer, preserving full directory structure. Ok, with modern high capacity drives you can do that too, but what if you only need 5 clips out of 100? You cannot just copy them onto a computer, FCP will not open them.
Posted by .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address) on 03/04 at 01:34 PM
Okay, so it’s not an issue with the 128 GB of storage device. That’s what I took from your post.
Yes, the issue you raise is the same with all MXF “wrapped” files before they get wrapped. Sony offers an XDCAM import software package that wraps the files, but, like you say, it’s annoying to have to go through this step if you just want to quickly hand over a few files out of all of them.
In reality, FCP has an importer, and FCP handles files that have been properly imported fine, and it handles files in other codecs that don’t have MXF wrapping issues, so I don’t think it’s a FCP issue (exclusively) Yes, FCP could be made to play the MTS files alone. But I wouldn’t hold your breath.
Till then, probably best to be knowledgeable on how to re-create the colder structure on the destination drive (rehearse it on your own) for file handoffs, or bring along a tool that will wrap the files and make them more universally handleable.
Anthony Burokas
IEBA Communications.
Posted by IEBA on 03/04 at 02:25 PM
Nice article on a nice looking camera. However I recently upgraded my workspace to a HP Quod core 64bit platform and I read that NXCAM5 doesn’t support or operate on 64bit platforms? Interestingly Sony offers Sony Vegas Pro9 as a bundled item when purchasing the camera new.
Can you please enlighten me on the AVCHD codec used in the Sony NXCAM5 and its usability on a 64 bit platform like mine?
I recently asked a Sony outlet sales guy about this issue and he replied that he didn’t know.
cheers moza from OZ
Posted by .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address) on 03/16 at 07:44 PM
I have a NX5U and edit with both Vegas Pro 9 that came with the camera here in Ottawa. Edius 5.12 will also edit native. My system is Q9450 Quad core, 8G RAM running Vista 64. AVCHD files can be edited in both Vegas Pro9 32 or 64 bit versions. Edius is only 32 bit.
Ron Evans
Posted by .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address) on 03/16 at 08:46 PM
wannabe, where did you read that NXCAM doesn’t support 64bit?
NXCAM doesn’t have to support anything. It is about the Content Management Utility software, it doesn’t support Microsoft Windows XP SP3 64bit. Both Windows Vista and Seven 64bit are supported.
Posted by .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address) on 03/17 at 03:35 AM
Hi Cristi,
That info came directly from a pdf downloaded from Sony:
http://www.sony.com.au/product/hxr-nx5p
http://www.sony.com.au/product/resources/en_AU/images/Brochure/NX5P_web.pdf
Page 13 says:
Windows Vista sp2 and Windows 7
*64-bit editions and Starter (edition) are not supported.
Operation is not assured if above OS has been upgraded or in a multiboot environment (whatever that means)
So I’m a bit confused, and probably not understanding the specs right. So could you please read and interpret for me?
cheers 
Posted by .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address) on 03/17 at 10:01 PM
Hi wannabe, almost surprised reading this.
Anyway, a copy-pasted from the brochure:
OS:
Microsoft Windows XP SP3*
Windows Vista SP2**, Windows 7
* 64-bit editions and Starter (Edition) are not supported
** Starter (Edition) is not supported.
The Content Management Software will not work in Win XP SP3 64 bit and starter edition. Also won’t work in Vista SP2 of Starter edition (the most basic version of Windows Vista).
There will be no problem on installing this software on 64-bit edition of, for instance, Vista Home Premium or Professional.
BTW, just asking, can I copy from memory media directly without the use of this software? will there by any issues? How about long recordings, where, the files is divided due to FAT32 2-GB limit? will there by any problems on putting them to timeline or loss of frame?
Posted by Setiawan Kartawidjaja on 03/17 at 10:50 PM
I have been editing AVCHD from my Sony SR11 and XR500 with Vista 64 Home Premium for several years now. Just got the NX5U and loaded the Content Manager software and it works just like the Motion Browser software for the other Sony’s. In fact the Motion Browser software will also transfer from the NX5U and stitch together the FAT32 files into a single clip too. All these programs run in a 32 bit form on the 64bit OS. I am not sure if it is possible to run 32 bit apps on the starter edition and this may be what the issue is in compatibility. Home Premium and Proffessional also have the capacity for more RAM etc.
Ron Evans
Posted by .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address) on 03/18 at 07:23 AM
many thanks for the feedback re: 64 bit platform.
I’ll upgrade my Vista Home premium 64-bitedtion to Pro asap. and hopefully that’ll solve my compatibility issues.
HP Pav Elite m9500a Intel Core 2 Quad processor, 2.66GHz 8gig Ram, 2 T, drives, 5400rpm plus 2 Tig WD books. coupled with 2 22inch Hd Lg monitors. Logitech surround system.
SO I thank you for validating my system to be able to fully utilise the benefits of the Sony NX5.
This is a powerful forum.
Thanks for the enlightenment
Posted by .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address) on 03/18 at 02:39 PM
Hi Adam, excelent report on the preproduction NX5U. I just received some footage shot with a NX5U in 108060i for use in a TV commercial that has to be downscaled to SD and sent in Betacam SP. My question is how do I go to convert to widescreen 480i ? I’m planning to edit the whole commercial in HD and then export final movie to HD file and then convert to SD; I’m using Premiere Pro CS4 in windows and in the past I had problems getting HD footage converted to SD, it always looks flat and soft, losing a lot of detail or simply looking bad. I had tried this with shots made with my Canon XH A1S HDV Clips and always shoot in DV if the final output is SD TV. When I first saw the NX5U I thought it will be perfect to replace my canon but I’m worried about converting from AVCHD to SD and getting the overall look and feel of the HD.
Thanks
Posted by .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address) on 04/05 at 09:26 PM
Hi Adam
Thanks for the review and good to be in touch with you again after so many years (original DV list).
Two questions:
1: Why, if the sensor and lens system is the same as the HDV camcorder would the picture quality of the NX5U be better than that from the Z5U?
2: Many broadcasters (CBC in Canada for example and to some extent PBS) will not accept content that originated on HDV for their High Definition program streams. They insist on EX 35 meg at least. An advantage of the NXCAM is its light weight for traveling to remote locations for Doc work. Is there any word on acceptability of the NXCAM AVCHD to the broadcast world?
Cheers
David
Posted by dmowbray on 04/28 at 08:07 AM
dmowbray: Hello again!
The NX5U’s live image should be roughly the same as the Z5U’s, but the recorded image is better because (a) it’s a full 1920x1080 recording instead of 1440x1080 and (b) 24 Mbit/sec AVCHD is cleaner looking than 25 Mbit/sec HDV.
I have NO idea what the broadcasters are saying about the NXCAM… and each one will have its own take on the format and on the camera anyway! The NX5U’s high-bitrateAVCHD looks more like XDCAM EX than it does HDV, but close enough for the CBC? That’s something only they can say.
No more comments, sorry. PVC’s display engine can’t handle more than 52 comments per article, and this is the 52nd comment. That’s all, folks.
Posted by Adam Wilt on 05/12 at 05:18 PM
Does the HDX-NX5U have remote zoom LANC for comfortable live event tripod use? I am researching tapeless video cam options for church use.
Interestingly the HDR-AX2000 does not have LANC though spec sheets says it does. The PDF manual makes no mention of it and Sony tech support says it does not have LANC or a simple remote zoom controller. The only option is the wireless remote and that has too many buttons for ‘in the dark’ use.
If not… any recommendations for decent low light live event video camera? No stage lighting is available. Camera is always at the back of a long room where a Canon GL-2 zoom is nearly maxed out. Live video must be displayed with 4:3 aspect projectors onto screens.
Is the SD MPEG-2 file compatible with DVD without transcoding?
Thanks in advance
Howard
Posted by VidMan42 on 05/15 at 10:44 AM
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